The present disclosure relates to a laser system for use in, for example, laser medical apparatus fields, and to an optical fiber adaptor for use in the laser system.
In recent years, applications of optical fiber have been rapidly spreading from the communications and instrumentation fields where low optical outputs are used toward the industrial laser processing machine and laser medical apparatus fields where high optical outputs are used. In the latter application fields where the optical outputs are high and the risk of exposure of the human body to laser beams is high, higher safety than in the past should be secured. Especially, a connector section for connection of optical fiber cables is attended by a high danger of exposure of the human body to the laser beam, since disengagement of a fiber due to unsatisfactory fixation or forgotten insertion of an optical fiber plug is liable to occur at the connector section. As one of the requirements concerning measures for the safety, there is a request for a function of detecting the mounted/demounted state of the optical fiber plug at the connector section of optical fiber.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-19351 (paragraphs [0014]-[0027], FIGS. 2 and 3) discloses an example in which a pair of a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device for detecting the insertion of the plug is provided on the adaptor side as a mounted/demounted state detecting function. Japanese Patent No. 4095715 (paragraphs [0019]-[0026], FIGS. 1 to 4) discloses an example in which switches for detecting the insertion between an optical adaptor and an optical connector and the completion of the coupling between the optical adaptor and the optical connector are provided as a mounted/demounted state detecting function.